Island



(No Model.)

' W. H. S. JENISON. CLOTHES LINE HANG-ER.

No. 580,319. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

. Nrrnn STATES Grinch.

WILLIAM HENRY SHERIDAN JENISON, OF APPONAUG, RHODE ISLAND, AS-

SIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM BARTON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CLOTHES-LINE HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,319, dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed October 28, 1896. Serial No. 610,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM HENRY SHERI- DAN J ENISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Apponaug, in the county of Kent, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes- Line Hangers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to clothes-li11e hangers, and has for its object to provide a device of this nature that will act to hold a clothesline at any degree of tension.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device, showing the elements disengaged to allow the insertion of a line, the latter being shown in place upon the pulley. Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing the positions of the several elements when gripping the line.

Referring now to the drawings, in constructing a device in accordance with my invention I provide a plate a, at one end of which is formed an eye I) for attachment to a suitable support, said plate having a transverse slanting cut-away portion or recess c, adapted to receive in its lower end a pulleywheel cl, provided with an axle 6, one end of which latter is journaled in the plate a, the other end having a bearing in an extension 6, projecting from one end of the recess 0 over and parallel to the base of the latter.

Pivoted eccentrically and within the recess 0 is an annular wedge-block f, a portion of Whose periphery is provided with corrugations g, the block being so located that the corrugations will swing into engagement with the pulley and act therewith to grip a cord or line It therebetween when the latter is drawn in the direction of movement of the block toward the pulley.

In order to retain the block and pulley normally in engagement, I have pivoted to the plate a a second plate 2', which, in conjunction with the projection 0, completely covers the cut-away portion. This plate i is held normally over the recess and in contact with the projection e by means of a spring 70, one of which is secured to a suitable support Z within the recess, while the other end is fastened to the plate The engaging edges of the plate t' and projection e are arranged diagonally of the direction of movement of said plate in order that the latter may be held normally in the proper position under the influence of the spring is.

In the plate t'is formed a slot m, which re ceives a pin 0 in the block f, and is of such form and location that when the plate is drawn in the position shown in Fig. 2 one wall of said slot will engage the pin and move the block in the direction of the pulley cl, thus causing the block to engage the pulley, or, if a line be lying upon the pulley, as shown in the drawings, to grip said line. It will thus be seen that by drawing the line in the direction of movement of the block from the pulley the action will result in loosening the grip and allowing the free running of the line. Conversely, when the line is drawn in the opposite direction the frictional engagement of the line and wedge-block will cause the latter to descend and grip the line against the pulley.

To facilitate manipulation of the plate t', a suitable knob or handle 19 may be secured thereto, as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. Adevice of the class described comprising a plate provided with a recess having a pulley secured therein, an eccentric wedgeblock in the recess, a second plate pivoted to the first-named plate and having a slot eccentric of its pivot, a pin adapted to play in the slot and having connection with the wedgeblock, and means for operating the last-named plate to cause engagement of the wed ge-block and pulley.

2. A device of the class described comprising a plate provided with a recess having a pulley therein, a wedge-block in the recess pivoted eccentrically, a second plate pivoted to the first-named plate and provided with a slot, and a pin carried by the wedge-block and entering the slot, whereby said block may be caused to engage the pulley.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM HENRY SHERIDAN JENISON.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. PRICE, JOHN E. CANNING. 

